Core Curriculum and General Education

Core Curriculum Overview

NYUAD’s Core Curriculum forms the heart of our mission to provide an international student body with an outstanding, expansive education. The Core draws on the diversity and cultural wealth of the world’s traditions and spans the content and methodologies of 21st-century disciplines across the Arts and Humanities, Engineering, Science, and Social Science. It offers Core Competencies that will help graduates address major global challenges, including the pursuit of equality, justice, peace, health, sustainability, and a rich understanding of humanity. It fosters modes of thinking and habits of mind central to well-rounded intellectual development and to global citizenship and leadership.

The NYUAD Core consists of:

  • 1 Core Colloquia and 2 Field Core Colloquia, each of which addresses a significant global challenge from multidisciplinary perspectives
  • 4 Core Competency Courses, one each in:
    • Arts, Design, and Technology
    • Cultural Exploration and Analysis
    • Data and Discovery
    • Structures of Thought and Society 

The guiding principles of the Core Curriculum include:

  • Small, discussion-based seminars: 10–18 students
  • Sustained interaction with faculty
  • Global diverse perspectives
  • Big ideas and transformative works of human thought and invention
  • Foundational modes of thinking
  • Significant emphasis on writing and effective communication

All Core courses develop students’ abilities to formulate precise questions and arrive at well-reasoned and effectively communicated conclusions. These skills are essential not only to complement students’ advanced coursework in their majors but also to help them think deeply about themselves and the world we share.

The values central to the Core Curriculum underscore the fact that an NYUAD education consists of much more than preparation for a profession; the Core aims to cultivate habits of mind that allow students to navigate the ethical complexity of a rapidly changing, increasingly global society. We cannot assume we are “global citizens” simply by virtue of living in an international environment. Learning to ask and approach profound questions from a variety of viewpoints and cultivating the ability to exchange views about the major challenges of our time requires practice and deliberate attention. The Core Curriculum offers repeated occasions to develop these skills and habits, which should help prepare students for meaningful lives of intellectual curiosity and civic engagement. Courses in the Core Curriculum are taken for a letter grade and not pass/fail. 

Two Physical Education courses are also required for each student (although not part of the Core) for degree requirements.  

Quantitative Reasoning, Experimental Inquiry, and Islamic Studies 

All students are also required to take at least one course designated as filling a Quantitative Reasoning (Q) requirement, one that fills an Experimental Inquiry (E) requirement, and one that fills an Islamic Studies (X) requirement. These will be drawn from courses across the curriculum and may also count toward other requirements, such as the Core, a major, or a minor. For the most up-to-date list of courses that fulfill the Q, E, and X requirements, please consult the NYUAD website.

Core Curriculum Courses

Core Curriculum courses vary from year to year. A significant variety in each category is on offer every semester.

Colloquia

Core Colloquia are small, discussion-oriented seminars designed to help students deepen their understanding of significant global challenges, including the pursuit of equality, justice, peace, health, sustainability, and a rich understanding of humanity. Taught by faculty from all divisions, these seminars offer multidisciplinary, global perspectives and substantively engage two or more of the Core Competencies. Core Colloquia explicitly aim to nurture civic awareness fundamental to global citizenship and leadership by developing students’ abilities to grapple with the complex conceptual and ethical dimensions of global issues, to communicate respectfully across cultural difference, and to devise problem-solving strategies. Colloquia are fourteen-week courses taught in Abu Dhabi. Students are required to take one Core Colloquia during the fall or spring semester, and two Field Colloquia during J-Terms. One of which should be taken during the first year. Numerous Colloquia are offered every semester. The courses specified below are offered periodically, typically each year in the semester indicated.

Colloquia Courses

CCOL-UH 1000Mortal and Immortal Questions4
CCOL-UH 1002Indigeneity4
CCOL-UH 1003XFaith in Science, Reason in Revelation4
CCOL-UH 1006EConserving Our Global Heritage through Science4
CCOL-UH 1008Reading the Earth4
CCOL-UH 1010Future of Medicine4
CCOL-UH 1013Colonialism and Postcolonialism4
CCOL-UH 1015QLabor4
CCOL-UH 1016QCooperation4
CCOL-UH 1019Extinction4
CCOL-UH 1020Water4
CCOL-UH 1021The Desert4
CCOL-UH 1024QLife in the Universe4
CCOL-UH 1025Human Body4
CCOL-UH 1026Migration4
CCOL-UH 1030War4
CCOL-UH 1031Nature and Human Nature4
CCOL-UH 1032Communication: from bacteria to humans4
CCOL-UH 1034Gender4
CCOL-UH 1035Inequality4
CCOL-UH 1038Prejudice4
CCOL-UH 1040Disability4
CCOL-UH 1042Multi-ethnic Democracy4
CCOL-UH 1045Axes of Evil4
CCOL-UH 1046Women and Leadership4
CCOL-UH 1048Statehood4
CCOL-UH 1049State of the Nation4
CCOL-UH 1052XArt of Revolution4
CCOL-UH 1053Calamity and Creation4
CCOL-UH 1055Oil4
CCOL-UH 1056EQFairness4
CCOL-UH 1058Journeys4
CCOL-UH 1059QQuantified Self4
CCOL-UH 1060What Is Secularism?4
CCOL-UH 1061Water for Life4
CCOL-UH 1065QResentment and Politics4
CCOL-UH 1069Global Language4
CCOL-UH 1070Hindsight4
CCOL-UH 1071Price of Luxury4
CCOL-UH 1072Tolerance4
CCOL-UH 1074Industrial Revolutions and the Future of Work4
CCOL-UH 1075Body Politics4
CCOL-UH 1077Food and Human Population4
CCOL-UH 1079Justice in Times of Transition4
CCOL-UH 1080Learning Languages in a Global Society4
CCOL-UH 1081Migration and Belonging4
CCOL-UH 1082Multispecies Living and the Environmental Crisis4
CCOL-UH 1086Corruption4
CCOL-UH 1088Panacea4
CCOL-UH 1089Drama of Science4
CCOL-UH 1093Caste and Race4
CCOL-UH 1094Fire4
CCOL-UH 1095Emotions4
CCOL-UH 1096Ghosts, Magic, and the Mystical: Understanding the Supernatural4
CCOL-UH 1097The Sacred4
CCOL-UH 1099The Science of Human Connection4
CCOL-UH 1100Negotiation and Consensus Building4
CCOL-UH 1101Incarceration4
CCOL-UH 1102Language and Identity4
CCOL-UH 1103Exclusionary Foundations of Knowledge Production4
CCOL-UH 1104Globalization and its Discontents4
CCOL-UH 1105Nudges and Well-Being4
CCOL-UH 1106Mind, Matter, and Machine4
CCOL-UH 1107Shelter4
CCOL-UH 1108Infinity4
CCOL-UH 1109Identity4
CCOL-UH 1110Poverty and Inequality4
CCOL-UH 111124 Hours in Our Brain4
CCOL-UH 1112Climate and Humanity4
CCOL-UH 1113Encompassing Nature4
CCOL-UH 1114Problem of the Self4
CCOL-UH 1115Beyond Nature-Culture4
CCOL-UH 1116Wireless Revolution4
CCOL-UH 1117Slavery and Freedom4
CCOL-UH 1118(In)Fertility4
CCOL-UH 1119Techruption4
CCOL-UH 1120Cyborgs4
CCOL-UH 1121Violence4
CCOL-UH 1123Choose Your Journey4
CCOL-UH 1124Linguistic Diversity4
CCOL-UH 1125Beauty4
CCOL-UH 2016JSensing (Sensitive) Archives3

Field Colloquia

Field Colloquia (J-Term courses) are designed as 10-day, highly immersive learning experiences typically conducted in January of each year. They intensify the student’s focus, reach beyond the classroom to incorporate experiential learning, and are site-specific, connecting students to the place where they study.

Intellectually linked to their locations, the courses take advantage of local resources; explore the history, culture, economy, and society of the host communities, and often involve collaborative activities with local students and faculty. The courses illuminate the interdependence of local knowledge and global awareness while fostering cross-cultural research and insights into complex global issues.

Field Colloquia Courses

CCOL-UH 2001EJAn Ocean Voyage3
CCOL-UH 2002JJust Cash: The Politics, Economics, and Philosophy of Cash Transfer Programs3
CCOL-UH 2003JMande Music and the Black Experience: Oral History, Folklore and Contemporary Connections3
CCOL-UH 2004JSand3
CCOL-UH 2005JArt / Environment / Attention3
CCOL-UH 2006JCommon Sense3
CCOL-UH 2007JThe Science of Color and Art3
CCOL-UH 2008JThe Puzzle of Life3
CCOL-UH 2009JThe Sensorial City: Food Studies and Urban Ethnography3
CCOL-UH 2010JDisability and Development3
CCOL-UH 2011JCommercial Determinants of Health: A Focus on Globalization3
CCOL-UH 2012JWayfinding: Graphic Design in the Built Environment3
CCOL-UH 2013JDebt and Society3
CCOL-UH 2014JBeing Here3
CCOL-UH 2015JColorism Across Global Lines: Focus Study in Ghana3
CCOL-UH 2017JAfrican Perspectives on Data and Technology3
CCOL-UH 2018JMessage in a Bottle3
CCOL-UH 2019JNetwork Theory and Social Interactions3
CCOL-UH 2020JRibbons of Blue: Urbanization on the Coastal Fringe3
CCOL-UH 2021JThe Silk Road: Ancient and Modern Globalizations3
CCOL-UH 2022JNew Capitals of Contemporary Art: Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Amman3
CCOL-UH 2023JEndangered Languages3
CCOL-UH 2024JGlobal Africa and China3
CCOL-UH 2025JSocial Media and Governance of Speech3
CCOL-UH 2026JTechnology for Sustainable Development3
CCOL-UH 2027JUnequal Childhoods3
CCOL-UH 2028JMusic, Migration, and Memory3
CCOL-UH 2029JCalifornian Ideology3
CCOL-UH 2030JWhat is Fair in University Admissions?3
CCOL-UH 2031JStrategies for Civic Inclusion3
CCOL-UH 2032JTropical Forests and the Climate Crisis3
CCOL-UH 2033JImmersive Experiences3
CCOL-UH 2034JFalconry: A Global History3
CCOL-UH 2035JCreative Robotics & Tech3
CCOL-UH 2036JTone Meister: The Pursuit of Perfect Sound3
CCOL-UH 2037JCulture as a Collective Achievement: Explorations in Italy and UAE3
CCOL-UH 2038JHow to Build a City3
CCOL-UH 2039JThe Shaping of Identity: Past and Future of Egyptological Collections3

Arts, Design, and Technology

Art, Design, and Technology courses include a creative component and teach students to think critically and work creatively toward innovations in arts practice, design and engineering, creative writing, data visualization, programming, and performance. Numerous Arts, Design, and Technology courses are offered every term. The courses specified below are offered periodically, typically each year in the semester indicated.

Arts, Design, and Technology Courses

ANTH-UH 2113Memoir and Ethnography: Understanding Culture Through First-Person Narrative4
ARTH-UH 2721Art and Architecture: Reinventing the City4
ARTH-UH 2726City to Studio: Transforming Urban Research4
ARTH-UH 2825Advanced Lighting and Production Techniques4
CADT-UH 1001Manus et Machina4
CADT-UH 1005Creativity and Innovation4
CADT-UH 1008EQTouch4
CADT-UH 1013EQLanguage of Computers4
CADT-UH 1016EUtilitas, Venustas, Firmitas4
CADT-UH 1020Wayfinding: Graphic Design in the Built Environment4
CADT-UH 1021Art of Narrative Science4
CADT-UH 1024What Is Music?4
CADT-UH 1026Human Value4
CADT-UH 1027Memoir and Anti-Memoir: Experiments in Text and Image4
CADT-UH 1029Inspiration, Art, and the Examined Life4
CADT-UH 1033Bioinspiration4
CADT-UH 1037XMachines in Islamic Civilization4
CADT-UH 1038Autonomous and Social Robots4
CADT-UH 1039Photo Album4
CADT-UH 1040Ethics of the Image4
CADT-UH 1045EPlastic Fantastic4
CADT-UH 1048Reinventing the Wheel4
CADT-UH 1049EMaterial World4
CADT-UH 1051Performing Online4
CADT-UH 1052Silence4
CADT-UH 1053Designing Health4
CADT-UH 1061The Body Archive4
CADT-UH 1062Contextual Innovation in Society4
CADT-UH 1063Foodways for the Anthropocene4
CADT-UH 1074Creative Robotics and Tech4
CADT-UH 1077Site Specificity4
CADT-UH 1078Voice4
CADT-UH 1079EHave a Seat4
CADT-UH 1091The Photographic Essay: The Power of Visual Storytelling4
CADT-UH 1092Starting With Self4
CADT-UH 1093Gamified Learning4
CADT-UH 1094Music, the Mind, and Artificial Intelligence4
CCEA-UH 1092Reaching for the Stars4
CCEA-UH 1138Eco-Art and Ecomedia4
CDAD-UH 1037Cyberwarfare4
CDAD-UH 1063Digital Archive4
IM-UH 1012Communication and Technology4
LITCW-UH 1506Today We Wrote Nothing4
LITCW-UH 1508Shame and Shamelessness: The Craft of Confessional Writing4
LITCW-UH 1509The City and the Writer: New York City and Abu Dhabi4
MUSIC-UH 1618XMusic and Identity in Trade4

Cultural Exploration and Analysis

Cultural Exploration and Analysis courses pursue understanding and appreciation of diverse cultural forms and perspectives, and foster the ability to navigate differences to establish cross-cultural understanding. J-Term courses in Cultural Exploration and Analysis often focus on a deep engagement with multiple cultures in a single global site. Numerous Cultural Exploration and Analysis courses are offered each term. The courses specified below are offered periodically, typically each year win the semester indicated.

Cultural Exploration and Analysis Courses

ACS-UH 2410XParadise Lost: Muslims, Christians and Jews in Al-Andalus4
ANTH-UH 1102XAnthropology of and as Media4
ANTH-UH 1103Sense and Senses4
ANTH-UH 2113Memoir and Ethnography: Understanding Culture Through First-Person Narrative4
ANTH-UH 2114XListening to Islam4
AW-UH 1118Archaeology, Arabia and the Bible4
CADT-UH 1026Human Value4
CCEA-UH 1001Ritual and Play4
CCEA-UH 1003Collecting4
CCEA-UH 1004Identity and Object4
CCEA-UH 1007Abstraction4
CCEA-UH 1009XA Thousand and One Nights4
CCEA-UH 1010Imagined Cities4
CCEA-UH 1011Law and the Imagination4
CCEA-UH 1014Money and the Good Life4
CCEA-UH 1015Gender and Representation4
CCEA-UH 1017On Violence4
CCEA-UH 1023Dis/Abilities in Musical Contexts4
CCEA-UH 1037Listening4
CCEA-UH 1046Rogue Fictions: Tales of Tricksters, Outlaws, and Outsiders4
CCEA-UH 1053The Hero4
CCEA-UH 1055Global Shakespeare4
CCEA-UH 1056Tragedy4
CCEA-UH 1061Memory4
CCEA-UH 1062Everything Is a Remix4
CCEA-UH 1063Literary Translation4
CCEA-UH 1069Cultural Appropriation4
CCEA-UH 1074Race, Racialization and Narration4
CCEA-UH 1077XIslamism, Islamophobia, and Muslim Popular Culture4
CCEA-UH 1078XRepresenting the Middle East: Issues in the Politics of Culture4
CCEA-UH 1082Literature of Migration4
CCEA-UH 1083Cultural History of Falconry4
CCEA-UH 1085Cinematic Imagination: Music, Media, and Modernity4
CCEA-UH 1090Un/Making History4
CCEA-UH 1092Reaching for the Stars4
CCEA-UH 1094XOrientalisms4
CCEA-UH 1095XArabia Felix, the Imagined Land of 'Happiness'4
CCEA-UH 1096Global Scents: All the Perfumes of Arabia4
CCEA-UH 1097Music: Conflict, Protest, and Peace4
CCEA-UH 1098Immersive Experiences4
CCEA-UH 1102Culture and Citizenship4
CCEA-UH 1107Once Upon a Time: Folk and Fairy Tales Reconsidered4
CCEA-UH 1110Faith and Finance: From Renaissance Fortuna to the Futures Market4
CCEA-UH 1112Fashion, Culture & the Body4
CCEA-UH 1113Expressive Culture: Film4
CCEA-UH 1114XSexualities of the Middle East: A Cultural History4
CCEA-UH 1115Languages of Israel4
CCEA-UH 1123Noise in Literature4
CCEA-UH 1124The Age of Images4
CCEA-UH 1125Nation and Narration4
CCEA-UH 1136Encountering the Other4
CCEA-UH 1137Stories of Our Bodies4
CCEA-UH 1138Eco-Art and Ecomedia4
CCEA-UH 1139The Image in Question4
CSTS-UH 1101Cultures & Contexts: The Black Atlantic4
HERST-UH 1100World Heritage Sites & Universal Collections4
LITCW-UH 1105Politics of Writing4
LITCW-UH 1160XGlobal Women Writing4
LITCW-UH 1506Today We Wrote Nothing4
LITCW-UH 1508Shame and Shamelessness: The Craft of Confessional Writing4
LITCW-UH 1509The City and the Writer: New York City and Abu Dhabi4
LITCW-UH 2315XPostcolonial Turn4
LITCW-UH 2341Asian and Arab Diaspora in the Arts4
MUSIC-UH 1617XPopular Music in the Arab World4
MUSIC-UH 1618XMusic and Identity in Trade4
MUSIC-UH 2665Global Jazz4
THEAT-UH 1521Women Who Kill4

Data and Discovery

Data and Discovery courses develop the ability to use experimental and quantitative methods to understand the world. Numerous Data and Discovery courses are offered every term. The courses specified below are offered periodically, typically each year in the semester indicated.

Data and Discovery Courses

CADT-UH 1013EQLanguage of Computers4
CDAD-UH 1001QData4
CDAD-UH 1002QSpace4
CDAD-UH 1004EMicrobes4
CDAD-UH 1005EQForensic Science: Guilty or Not Guilty?4
CDAD-UH 1007EQThe Mind4
CDAD-UH 1008EQSeven Wonders of the Invisible World4
CDAD-UH 1010EQDiversity4
CDAD-UH 1016EQWhere the City Meets the Sea: Studies in Coastal Urban Environments4
CDAD-UH 1017EQSymmetry4
CDAD-UH 1019QHeat and the Universe4
CDAD-UH 1024QReading Like a Computer4
CDAD-UH 1027E5000 Years of Notable Lives: Measuring Influence across Cultures4
CDAD-UH 1032QStability4
CDAD-UH 1033EQData and Human Space4
CDAD-UH 1034QNumbers, Models, and Chaos4
CDAD-UH 1037Cyberwarfare4
CDAD-UH 1039EQSearch4
CDAD-UH 1040Artificial Intelligence and Human Decisions4
CDAD-UH 1041EQDecisions and the Brain4
CDAD-UH 1043EQData and Society4
CDAD-UH 1044QHuman-Centered Data Science4
CDAD-UH 1045EQScience of Food & Cooking4
CDAD-UH 1046EQInfectious Diseases: Preventing and Stopping Epidemics4
CDAD-UH 1048QMicrobial Self: Microbes and Identity4
CDAD-UH 1049EQRandom Walks in Science4
CDAD-UH 1063Digital Archive4
CDAD-UH 1064Sustainable Supply Chains4
CDAD-UH 1065EWhat is Life?4
CDAD-UH 1067QEpidemiology for Global Health4
CDAD-UH 1069EQClimate Change4
CDAD-UH 1071EQStereotyping4
CDAD-UH 1072QNothing4
CDAD-UH 1073QScience of Complexity4
CDAD-UH 1074EQScience of Martial Arts4
CDAD-UH 1075EQQuantum Computing for Everyone: Embracing the Quantum Revolution4
CDAD-UH 1077Chemophobia4
CDAD-UH 1078EQInclusive Data Literacy4
CDAD-UH 1079EQThe Science of Making Music4
CSTS-UH 1021EQBoundaries4
CSTS-UH 1102QHealth & Society in a Global Context4

Structures of Thought and Society

Structures of Thought and Society courses allow students to examine past, current, and potential future global frameworks for thinking, social organization, and behavior. Numerous Structures of Thought and Society courses are offered each term, typically each year in the semester indicated.

Structure of Thought and Society Courses

ACS-UH 1412XRace and Ethnicity in the Histories of the Middle East and Africa4
ACS-UH 1612XEnergy and Society in the Gulf4
ACS-UH 2615XArab Genders and Sexualities4
ANTH-UH 1102XAnthropology of and as Media4
ANTH-UH 1103Sense and Senses4
ANTH-UH 1104Merchants, Chiefs and Spirits4
ANTH-UH 2116Displacement and Dispossession in the Modern Middle East4
CADT-UH 1026Human Value4
CADT-UH 1063Foodways for the Anthropocene4
CCEA-UH 1069Cultural Appropriation4
CCEA-UH 1090Un/Making History4
CDAD-UH 1039EQSearch4
CDAD-UH 1046EQInfectious Diseases: Preventing and Stopping Epidemics4
CDAD-UH 1067QEpidemiology for Global Health4
CSTS-UH 1006Thinking4
CSTS-UH 1007QChance4
CSTS-UH 1008Birth of Science and AI4
CSTS-UH 1009Theory of Everything4
CSTS-UH 1010Astronomy & Cosmology: From Big Bang to Multiverse4
CSTS-UH 1012Wealth of Nations4
CSTS-UH 1015Legitimacy4
CSTS-UH 1016Ideas of the Sacred4
CSTS-UH 1017Revolutions and Social Change4
CSTS-UH 1021EQBoundaries4
CSTS-UH 1031Why Is It So Hard to Do Good?4
CSTS-UH 1036Progress in Science4
CSTS-UH 1043Great Divergence4
CSTS-UH 1049Concepts and Categories: How We Structure the World4
CSTS-UH 1052XHistory and the Environment: The Middle East4
CSTS-UH 1053Understanding Urbanization4
CSTS-UH 1059GXUrban Violence:The Middle East4
CSTS-UH 1059XUrban Violence: The Middle East4
CSTS-UH 1060Beyond Belief4
CSTS-UH 1067Moving Target4
CSTS-UH 1074Refugees, Law and Crises4
CSTS-UH 1076What's Property (For?)4
CSTS-UH 1077Law and Politics4
CSTS-UH 1087Future of Education4
CSTS-UH 1088Thinking Big About the Ancient World4
CSTS-UH 1094Space Diplomacy4
CSTS-UH 1097Justice4
CSTS-UH 1098High Performance: Mindset and Habits4
CSTS-UH 1099Global Media Seminar: Latin America4
CSTS-UH 1101Cultures & Contexts: The Black Atlantic4
CSTS-UH 1102QHealth & Society in a Global Context4
CSTS-UH 1103What Is Technology?4
CSTS-UH 1104Organizations4
CSTS-UH 1125XLaw and Empire4
CSTS-UH 1126Gender, Violence, and Political Participation4
CSTS-UH 1127Responsible Capitalism4
CSTS-UH 1128AI, Automation, and the Future of Work4
CSTS-UH 1129Environment & Politics4
CSTS-UH 1130Nuclear Energy4
CSTS-UH 1131Gender & Governance4
CSTS-UH 1149International Business, Law, and Sustainability4
CSTS-UH 1150Status4
CSTS-UH 1151Settler Colonialism4
HIST-UH 2010History and Globalization4
HIST-UH 2121Genocide in a Global Perspective4
HIST-UH 2123Women in World History4
HIST-UH 3112Asian Borderlands4
LAW-UH 2134Animal Law & Policy4
LITCW-UH 2333Translation and Colonization4
PHIL-UH 1110The Meaning of Life4
PHIL-UH 1115Fear of Knowledge4
POLSC-UH 1114War on Terrorism4
POLSC-UH 2317Identity and Culture in Politics4
SOCSC-UH 1313Perspectives on Democracy4
SRPP-UH 1413XSocial Change and Development in the Arab World4
SRPP-UH 2410Gender and Society4
SRPP-UH 2618Welfare States in Comparative Perspective4
SRPP-UH 2620Education and Society4

Experimental Inquiry

Experimental Inquiry Courses

CADT-UH 1008EQTouch4
CADT-UH 1013EQLanguage of Computers4
CADT-UH 1016EUtilitas, Venustas, Firmitas4
CADT-UH 1045EPlastic Fantastic4
CADT-UH 1049EMaterial World4
CADT-UH 1079EHave a Seat4
CCOL-UH 1006EConserving Our Global Heritage through Science4
CCOL-UH 1056EQFairness4
CDAD-UH 1005EQForensic Science: Guilty or Not Guilty?4
CDAD-UH 1065EWhat is Life?4
CDAD-UH 1069EQClimate Change4
CDAD-UH 1071EQStereotyping4
CDAD-UH 1074EQScience of Martial Arts4
CDAD-UH 1075EQQuantum Computing for Everyone: Embracing the Quantum Revolution4
CDAD-UH 1078EQInclusive Data Literacy4
CS-UH 2219EComputational Social Science4
CSTS-UH 1021EQBoundaries4
IM-UH 2514EBioart Practices4
PSYCH-UH 1002EQResearch Methods in Psychology4
PSYCH-UH 1003EBiopsychology4
PSYCH-UH 3613EQLab in Early Childhood Education4
PSYCH-UH 3614EQLab in Multisensory Perception and Action4
PSYCH-UH 3616EQLab in Data Analysis for the Psychological Sciences4
PSYCH-UH 3617EQLab in Visual Neuroscience4
PSYCH-UH 3618EQLab in Psychology of Gender Images4
PSYCH-UH 3619EQLab in Psychology of Economic Inequality4
PSYCH-UH 3620EQLab in Clinical Neuropsychology4
PSYCH-UH 3621EQLab in Language Science4

Quantitative Reasoning

Quantitative Reasoning Courses

CADT-UH 1008EQTouch4
CADT-UH 1013EQLanguage of Computers4
CCOL-UH 1016QCooperation4
CCOL-UH 1024QLife in the Universe4
CCOL-UH 1056EQFairness4
CCOL-UH 1059QQuantified Self4
CCOL-UH 1065QResentment and Politics4
CDAD-UH 1005EQForensic Science: Guilty or Not Guilty?4
CDAD-UH 1069EQClimate Change4
CDAD-UH 1071EQStereotyping4
CDAD-UH 1072QNothing4
CDAD-UH 1073QScience of Complexity4
CDAD-UH 1074EQScience of Martial Arts4
CDAD-UH 1075EQQuantum Computing for Everyone: Embracing the Quantum Revolution4
CDAD-UH 1078EQInclusive Data Literacy4
CDAD-UH 1079EQThe Science of Making Music4
CSTS-UH 1007QChance4
CSTS-UH 1021EQBoundaries4
CSTS-UH 1102QHealth & Society in a Global Context4
ENGR-UH 2010QProbability and Statistics for Engineers2
MATH-UH 1000AQMathematics for Statistics and Calculus Part I2
MATH-UH 1000BQMathematics for Statistics and Calculus Part II2
MATH-UH 1010QFoundations of Mathematics4
MATH-UH 1012QCalculus with Applications to Science and Engineering4
MATH-UH 1013QCalculus with Applications to Economics4
MATH-UH 1020QMultivariable Calculus with Applications to Science and Engineering4
MATH-UH 1021QMultivariable Calculus with Applications to Economics4
MATH-UH 1022QLinear Algebra4
MATH-UH 1023QFundamentals of Linear Algebra2
MATH-UH 1024QFundamentals of Ordinary Differential Equations2
MATH-UH 2010QOrdinary Differential Equations4
MATH-UH 2011QProbability and Statistics4
MATH-UH 2012QAbstract Algebra 14
MATH-UH 2013QAnalysis 14
MATH-UH 2410QMathematical Modeling4
PSYCH-UH 1002EQResearch Methods in Psychology4
PSYCH-UH 1004QStatistics for Psychology4
PSYCH-UH 3613EQLab in Early Childhood Education4
PSYCH-UH 3614EQLab in Multisensory Perception and Action4
PSYCH-UH 3616EQLab in Data Analysis for the Psychological Sciences4
PSYCH-UH 3617EQLab in Visual Neuroscience4
PSYCH-UH 3618EQLab in Psychology of Gender Images4
PSYCH-UH 3619EQLab in Psychology of Economic Inequality4
PSYCH-UH 3620EQLab in Clinical Neuropsychology4
PSYCH-UH 3621EQLab in Language Science4

Islamic Studies

Islamic Studies Courses

ACS-UH 1010XAnthropology and the Arab World4
ACS-UH 1011XIntroduction to Modern Arabic Literature4
ACS-UH 1012XEmergence of the Modern Middle East4
ACS-UH 1214XQuran as Literature4
ACS-UH 1410XMaking of the Muslim Middle East4
ACS-UH 1412XRace and Ethnicity in the Histories of the Middle East and Africa4
ACS-UH 1610XFeminism and Islamism in the Middle East and North Africa4
ACS-UH 1612XEnergy and Society in the Gulf4
ACS-UH 2212XIntroduction to Islamic Texts4
ACS-UH 2213XModern Arabic Short Stories4
ACS-UH 2410XParadise Lost: Muslims, Christians and Jews in Al-Andalus4
ACS-UH 2419XSufism4
ACS-UH 2613XYouth in the Middle East4
ACS-UH 2614XColonization of Palestine4
ACS-UH 2615XArab Genders and Sexualities4
ANTH-UH 1102XAnthropology of and as Media4
ANTH-UH 2114XListening to Islam4
ANTH-UH 2121XGender/Religion/Violence4
ARABL-UH 1132XElementary Qur'anic Arabic4
ARABL-UH 3131XIntroduction to Qur'anic Arabic4
ARABL-UH 4015XArabic Cultural Explorations4
ARTH-UH 1120XArt and Architecture of the Islamic World4
ARTH-UH 1121XGulf and Indian Ocean World Art and Architecture4
ARTH-UH 1715XArabic Typography4
ARTH-UH 2118XContemporary Art and Politics in the Arab World4
AW-UH 1113XAlexander and the East: Central Asia and the Mediterranean from the Achaemenid Period4
AW-UH 1115XPolitical Past, Political Presents: Archaeology and the Politics of Memory in the 'Near East'4
AW-UH 1119XSacred Cities: Jerusalem and Mecca4
AW-UH 1120XArchaeology of the Gulf4
CADT-UH 1037XMachines in Islamic Civilization4
CCEA-UH 1009XA Thousand and One Nights4
CCEA-UH 1078XRepresenting the Middle East: Issues in the Politics of Culture4
CCEA-UH 1094XOrientalisms4
CCEA-UH 1095XArabia Felix, the Imagined Land of 'Happiness'4
CCEA-UH 1114XSexualities of the Middle East: A Cultural History4
CCOL-UH 1003XFaith in Science, Reason in Revelation4
CCOL-UH 1052XArt of Revolution4
CSTS-UH 1052XHistory and the Environment: The Middle East4
CSTS-UH 1059GXUrban Violence:The Middle East4
CSTS-UH 1059XUrban Violence: The Middle East4
CSTS-UH 1125XLaw and Empire4
FILMM-UH 1013XUnderstanding MENASA Film and New Media4
HERST-UH 1101XHeritage Management in the Arabian World4
HIST-UH 1125XSouth Asia in the Indian Ocean World4
HIST-UH 1126XDigital History4
HIST-UH 3510XMuslim Societies in African History4
HIST-UH 3513XReligion and Material Culture in the Indian Ocean World4
HIST-UH 3710XCentral Asia and the Middle East4
LAW-UH 2115XComparative Legal Systems: United States and United Arab Emirates4
LAW-UH 2122XIntroduction to Islamic Law4
LAW-UH 2126XInternational Commercial Arbitration: From Ancient Arabia to Contemporary Singapore4
LITCW-UH 1160XGlobal Women Writing4
LITCW-UH 2312XMasterpieces of Pre-Modern Arabic Literature in Translation4
LITCW-UH 2315XPostcolonial Turn4
LITCW-UH 3350XLiteratures of the Middle East and the Maghreb (North Africa)4
MUSIC-UH 1611XArab Music Cultures4
MUSIC-UH 1617XPopular Music in the Arab World4
MUSIC-UH 1618XMusic and Identity in Trade4
PHIL-UH 2211XClassical Arabic Philosophy4
POLSC-UH 2410XComparative Politics of the Middle East4
POLSC-UH 2421XPolitical Economy of the Middle East4
WRIT-UH 1126XFYWS: Understanding Postcolonial Feminisms4

Writing Program

The development of strong writing skills throughout a student’s academic career is an important objective of an NYUAD education. The Writing Program has designed a curriculum to meet the needs of individual students through a blend of writing courses and one-on-one consultations in the Writing Center.

All students must complete a semester-long writing seminar in their first year. The First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) introduces students to the reading, writing, oral expression, and critical thinking skills essential to a liberal arts education.

The First-Year Writing Seminar lays a foundation for continued practice in university-level thinking and writing. In addition to taking the First-Year Writing Seminar, all NYUAD students will receive extensive writing and communication practice in Core courses and will come to learn that each discipline has its own conventions for advanced writing in specific fields.

Students are invited to complete a self-directed Writing Diagnostic and Survey prior to course registration. The diagnostic experience of reading, writing, and reflecting on the writing process will help students, in collaboration with their advisors, strategize when to take the FYWS to maximize the impact of the course on their learning. For instance, students who feel they need more time to practice college-level writing may choose to take the Writing Seminar in the fall of their first year, while students who feel more prepared may wait to take their FYWS in the spring semester of their first year.

The First-Year Writing Seminar

Each FYWS is designed around a topic that serves as a vehicle for academic inquiry. The seminar uses thematically organized content to foster student inquiry and intellectual engagement, and to model excellence in thinking and writing. Students engage with a variety of texts, learn how to analyze ideas and express complex arguments, and complete assignments that range from shorter reviews and editorials to longer persuasive analytical essays. Each written essay is the result of a progression of structured exercises with an emphasis on drafting and revision strategies. Students work collaboratively, learning to offer appropriate and constructive feedback through class discussion, peer workshops, tutorials, and one-on-one writing conferences with faculty.

To ensure a unified and consistent experience for students, all sections of the First-Year Writing Seminar share a set of common goals. Students will be introduced to rhetorical knowledge; critical thinking, reading, and composing skills; a range of composing and communication processes; and an awareness of disciplinary conventions. In the First-Year Writing Seminar students learn to:

  • Read and analyze a range of complex written, visual, empirical or performative texts.
  • Conceptualize and express complex claims based in evidence.
  • Document sources according to scholarly conventions.
  • Write for a scholarly audience.
  • Attend to style, grammar, and proper usage in academic English.

All First-Year Writing Seminars ask students to write three essays of increasing complexity (in draft and final form) over the course of the term, culminating in an inquiry-driven research paper and oral presentation. Courses typically begin by working on the art of close analysis of texts and ideas related to the course themes. In the second paper students use a variety of sources to make evidence-driven arguments. In the last portion of the class, students conduct library research on a topic that interests them and then write a research paper that makes an argument supported by evidence drawn from the sources they have gathered and analyzed. Finally, all students will make oral presentations about their work at various stages of their research and writing process. 

Statement of Principle: The First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) is an integral part of all students’ first-year experience, preparing them to express their ideas in writing in courses across their four year education, regardless of their intended or declared major. The policy is designed to ensure that students prioritize enrolling in this course during their first year of enrollment.

First-Year Writing Seminar Courses

WRIT-UH 1100FYWS: Taste, Culture & the Self4
WRIT-UH 1108FYWS: Writers on Writing4
WRIT-UH 1110FYWS: Power and Ethics in Photography4
WRIT-UH 1113FYWS: Saving Strangers: Debates about Humanitarian Intervention4
WRIT-UH 1116FYWS: The Politics of Spectacle4
WRIT-UH 1119FYWS: Living Cities4
WRIT-UH 1123FYWS: Scientific Knowledge4
WRIT-UH 1124FYWS: Slavery After Slavery4
WRIT-UH 1125FYWS: Graphic Violence4
WRIT-UH 1126XFYWS: Understanding Postcolonial Feminisms4
WRIT-UH 1127FYWS: Real and Imagined: Women’s Writing Across Worlds4
WRIT-UH 1128FYWS: Memory, History, and Forgetting4
WRIT-UH 1129FYWS: The World of Babel: Translation Before the Modern Age4
WRIT-UH 1131FYWS: Writing About the Languages We Speak4
WRIT-UH 1132FYWS: Protest Art4
WRIT-UH 1134FYWS: The Last Straw: The Effects of Environmental Change Throughout Time4
WRIT-UH 1135FYWS: Non-Violence4
WRIT-UH 1136FYWS: Movement & Meaning4
WRIT-UH 1137FYWS: Resilience at the Margins4
WRIT-UH 1138FYWS: Elsewhere4
WRIT-UH 1139FYWS: Exploring Our Linguistic Identities4
WRIT-UH 1140FYWS: Racisms and Race4
WRIT-UH 1141FYWS: Understanding Photography4
WRIT-UH 1142FYWS: Genders and Falconry4
WRIT-UH 1143FYWS: Reacting to the Past: Evidence-Based Public Health4
WRIT-UH 1144FYWS: Nonsense4
WRIT-UH 1145FYWS: Pirates, Traffickers and Enslavers4

General Education Overview

Languages

Language is the principal means through which humans communicate and a major vehicle in the development of thought, culture, and aesthetic expression. Studying language makes one aware of other conceptual and cultural worlds and able to reach more effectively into those worlds and bridge cultures. NYUAD language courses are structured to increase competency at every level in speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills. Every language course introduces cultural material that highlights the connectedness of language, culture, and thought. Students who choose to acquire a new language or to pursue advanced study of a language with which they are already familiar are better poised to realize their potential as 21st-century global citizens. For these many reasons, students are strongly encouraged to study a language other than English while at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Languages offered at NYU Abu Dhabi through regular coursework are Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish. By studying Arabic, students encounter and begin to grasp the first language of Abu Dhabi and the region. Classroom learning is enhanced by opportunities to apply language skills in the community and to travel to other Arabic speaking countries. Students of Chinese are able to spend at least one semester at NYU’s other portal campus in Shanghai, and are able to begin or continue learning Chinese at NYU New York or NYU Shanghai, while students of French are able to take advantage of the numerous French language offerings at NYU’s global network site in Paris. In the case of Spanish, students can spend a semester or more at NYU Madrid or NYU Buenos Aires.
Students who wish to advance their proficiency in languages other than Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish may take advantage of the immersive language instruction offered at NYU’s global network sites in Accra, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Tel Aviv, and Prague. Non-credit language courses are also offered in Spanish, German, and Italian. With approval of the Dean of Arts and Humanities, students may petition to study certain ancient or so-called non-living languages (for example, Latin) offered at NYU New York through special tutorial agreements. Non-credit tutorials can also be arranged in Abu Dhabi for a variety of world languages. Students interested in Arabic and/or Chinese should review the Arabic Minor and Chinese Minor program requirements in the bulletin for additional information and course offerings.

Arabic Language offerings

Arabic Language Courses

ACS-UH 2213XModern Arabic Short Stories4
ARABL-UH 1110Elementary Arabic 14
ARABL-UH 1120Elementary Arabic 24
ARABL-UH 1130Arabic Language and Heritage 14
ARABL-UH 1132XElementary Qur'anic Arabic4
ARABL-UH 2110Intermediate Arabic 14
ARABL-UH 2120Intermediate Arabic 24
ARABL-UH 2130Arabic Language and Heritage 24
ARABL-UH 2211Colloquial Arabic: Levantine Dialect 14
ARABL-UH 2212Colloquial Arabic: Egyptian Dialect4
ARABL-UH 2213Colloquial Arabic: Emirati Dialect and Culture4
ARABL-UH 3110Advanced Arabic 14
ARABL-UH 3120Advanced Arabic 24
ARABL-UH 3131XIntroduction to Qur'anic Arabic4
ARABL-UH 3211Colloquial Arabic: Levantine Dialect 24
ARABL-UH 3401Hybrid Identities in the Gulf4
ARABL-UH 4015XArabic Cultural Explorations4

Chinese Language offerings

Chinese Language Courses

CHINL-UH 1101Elementary Chinese 14
CHINL-UH 1102Elementary Chinese 24
CHINL-UH 2001Intermediate Chinese 14
CHINL-UH 2002Intermediate Chinese 24
CHINL-UH 3001Advanced Chinese 14
CHINL-UH 3002Advanced Chinese 24

Spanish Language offerings

Spanish Language Courses

SPANL-UH 1110Elementary Spanish 14
SPANL-UH 1111Elementary Spanish 24
SPANL-UH 2115Intermediate Spanish 14
SPANL-UH 2116Intermediate Spanish 24
SPANL-UH 3010Advanced Spanish 14

French Language offerings

French Language Courses

FRENL-UH 1101Elementary French 14
FRENL-UH 1102Elementary French 24
FRENL-UH 2001Intermediate French 14
FRENL-UH 2002Intermediate French 24
FRENL-UH 3000French Grammar and Composition4

Japanese Language offerings

Japanese Language Courses

JAPNL-UH 1101Beginning Japanese 12
JAPNL-UH 1102Beginning Japanese 22

Physical Education

While not part of the Core curriculum but just as important to the mission of NYUAD, is the Physical Education Program, which provides students with lifelong guidance and skills to allow them to become the best versions of themselves physically, mentally, socially and cognitively. The Physical Education program is designed to assist students to:

  • Gain the ability and knowledge to enjoy physical activity
  • Develop confidence and understanding in their own unique physical abilities
  • Embrace the understanding that one doesn’t have to be athletic to be physically active.
  • Understand the importance and benefits of becoming physically active for a lifetime.

Physical fitness is an important aspect of overall student development at NYU Abu Dhabi. Guided by the principle that a healthy body supports a strong mind in achieving one's full potential, the Physical Education program provides opportunities for competitive and recreational athletic participation, fitness through exercise classes such as aerobics and Pilates, and lifetime skills in sports such as golf and tennis. Students are required to complete two seven-week non-credit Physical Education sessions.

The Athletic Department promotes and enhances a healthy lifestyle by providing qualified coaches and instructors, coordinating the use of athletic facilities, overseeing the intramural program, arranging for recreational opportunities, and providing exercise classes. Students at NYUAD have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of indoor and outdoor fitness activities including popular team sports such as football/soccer, volleyball, and tennis, individual competitions such as road races and triathlons, a choice of water sports such as kayaking and sailing, and athletic leisure activities, such as cycling, hiking, and equestrian events. Many of these activities are offered as seven-week courses during fall and spring semesters. While the goal is to field at least one externally competitive team per fall, winter, and spring season, the specific sports offered will depend on the interest and ability levels among students in the class. There are also opportunities for individual competition in events. Some courses are open to women only and for additional information make sure to check the course schedule and/or nyuad.athletics@nyu.edu.

The NYUAD Physical Education (PE) Program provides a wide variety of classes covering all levels of interest and ability. PE programming takes place either at the university’s world-class athletic facilities or off campus in a location in Abu Dhabi city. Students are required to complete two 7-week Physical Education classes before graduation and every PE class taken appears on the official student transcript. Students can also earn one PE course count (maximum) by participating in intercollegiate sports. Students interested in joining an intercollegiate team should contact nyuad.athletics@nyu.edu to request information before team rosters are set for the competitive season. The university has a wide variety of intercollegiate team offerings each year. Physical Education classes, including intercollegiate sports, are non-credit and graded on a pass/fail basis (except for CDAD-UH 1074EQ which is letter graded).

Physical Education Courses (Sample of previous course offerings)

CDAD-UH 1074EQScience of Martial Arts4
PHYED-UH 1001Introduction to Group Fitness Classes0
PHYED-UH 1002Beginner Swimming0
PHYED-UH 1003Intermediate Swimming0
PHYED-UH 1004Women's Foundations of Middle Eastern Dance0
PHYED-UH 1006Hip Hop0
PHYED-UH 1011Jiu Jitsu0
PHYED-UH 1013Golf0
PHYED-UH 1014Tennis0
PHYED-UH 1016Women's Swimming0
PHYED-UH 1017Squash0
PHYED-UH 1018Foundations of Boxing0
PHYED-UH 1019Foundations of Resistance Training0
PHYED-UH 1021Women's Foundations of Boxing0
PHYED-UH 1022Yoga0
PHYED-UH 1023Badminton0
PHYED-UH 1024Foundations of Running0
PHYED-UH 1027Wall Climbing0
PHYED-UH 1028Indoor Cycling0
PHYED-UH 1030Women's Yoga0
PHYED-UH 1031Introduction to Sports Science0
PHYED-UH 1040Women's Foundations of Fitness0
PHYED-UH 1041WO Hip Hop0
PHYED-UH 1042Beginner Ballet0
PHYED-UH 1044Volleyball0
PHYED-UH 1049WO Indoor Cycling0
PHYED-UH 1056Recreational Games0
PHYED-UH 1057WO Pilates0
PHYED-UH 1062Olympic Weightlifting0
PHYED-UH 1064WO Olympic Weight Lifting0
PHYED-UH 1065WO Jiu Jitsu0
PHYED-UH 1066WO Wall Climbing0
PHYED-UH 1068SNAP Basketball0
PHYED-UH 1069Futsal0
PHYED-UH 1070Mindfulness0
PHYED-UH 1074Beginner Tap Dance0
PHYED-UH 1075First Aid & CPR0
PHYED-UH 1076Women's Zumba0
PHYED-UH 1078Beginner Waltz0
PHYED-UH 1079Barre Fit0
PHYED-UH 1080Cricket0
PHYED-UH 1082Holistic Nutrition0
PHYED-UH 1083WO Running0
PHYED-UH 1085WO The Science of Happiness0
PHYED-UH 1088Women's Tennis0
PHYED-UH 1089Zumba0
PHYED-UH 1090WO Intermediate Swimming0
PHYED-UH 1091Mixed Martial Arts0
PHYED-UH 1092Contemporary Dance0
PHYED-UH 1093Muay Thai0
PHYED-UH 1094Tai Chi0
PHYED-UH 1096Women's Contemporary Dance0
PHYED-UH 1098Indoor Games0
PHYED-UH 1099Table Tennis0
PHYED-UH 1100Olympic Handball0
PHYED-UH 1101Women's Foundations of Resistance Training0
PHYED-UH 1102Indoor Water Sports0
PHYED-UH 1103Foundations of Lifting0
PHYED-UH 1104Salsa0
PHYED-UH 1108Women's Volleyball0
PHYED-UH 1110Women's Aqua Fitness0
PHYED-UH 1111Pool rescue0
PHYED-UH 1112Foundations of Duathlon0
PHYED-UH 1114Team Sports0
PHYED-UH 1116Working with Emotions in the Body0
PHYED-UH 1118WO Beginner Fitness0
PHYED-UH 1120Irish Dancing0
PHYED-UH 1122Introduction to Military Fitness and Mindset0
PHYED-UH 1123Emotional Regulation and Resilience0
PHYED-UH 1124Women's Physical Preparation for Sports0
PHYED-UH 1125Physical Preparation for Sports0
PHYED-UH 1126Taekwondo0
PHYED-UH 1128Meditation0
PHYED-UH 1130Pickleball0
PHYED-UH 1132Track and Field0
PHYED-UH 1134The Science of Happiness0